


Heart of Gold

by 401



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bucky Barnes Feels, Caring, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Medical Procedures, Minor Injuries, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 03:37:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5232473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/401/pseuds/401
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky just wants Steve safe.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heart of Gold

Steve hissed with pain as Bucky went to work behind him, pulling the suture on his injured shoulder taught with a grim slide of string against jagged, torn skin.

“Easy, Buck,” Steve gritted his teeth and arched away from the pressure.

Bucky nodded, absorbed in his work, increasing the push of his cool, metal fingers around the edges of the wound to sooth the angry flesh. The bruising was making it difficult; Steve had come down on a metal splinter with most of his weight and the tear itself was the least of his worries.

“You’ve busted your rotator cuff,” Bucky mumbled pressing the sore muscles with his right hand to get a real sense of texture and depth.

“Gonna’ need to stay off of it for a day or so?” Steve asked, eyes still clamped shut with the pain.

Bucky chuckled, running his fingers through Steve’s hair slowly and massaging slowly, watching in satisfaction as the blonde’s jaw unclenched and he sighed deeply.

“More than a day,” Bucky pressed his nose against the top of Steve’s head, “You’re not _that_ super.”

Steve frowned and sighed, leaning forward more as Bucky swabbed repeatedly over the neat sutures with rubbing alcohol. His eyes hazed and the repetition soothed him even if it stung like hell. Bucky’s flesh hand was cupping his cheek, steadying and reassuring.

It was something Bucky had a surprising knack for; caring. The trauma that people had warned Steve would leave him cold and apathetic had had a totally opposite effect. He knew constant pain and humiliation and it drove him to make sure no one around him would ever feel the same way. Somehow, the constant abuse from his handlers at Hydra had forged him a heart of gold.

“You’re all done,” Bucky said quietly, running his knuckled down the back of Steve’s neck gently, “Do you want me to ice it for you?”

Steve smiled and shook his head, turning cautiously and pressing his lips against Bucky’s tenderly.

“You’ve done more than enough, Buck,” Steve moaned contently against the soldier’s lip, “Really, you’re an angel.”

Bucky coughed a laugh, but his face fell solemn and anxious. Steve watched as he packed away the medical kit and slid it under the bed, straightening the sheets after him before slumping onto the bed.

“What’s up?” Steve shuffled back next to the soldier, wincing through the movement so he could face him.

Bucky paused, staring at the cream, warm lit ceiling of their bedroom for a few moments before he replied.

“I’m no angel, Stevie,” Bucky sighed turning towards the Captain so they were mirrored, both on their sides with their hands in the space between them.

“I’ve caused too many wounds to be praised for fixing them,” Bucky muttered, looking down so his dark lashes guarded his eyes.

“I can’t get the things I’ve done out of my head, and when I see you hurt I…” Bucky breathed out and frowned, a pained look interrupting his words.

Steve carded his fingers through a loose tendril of dark hair in front of the soldier’s face.

“Go on,” Steve reassured.

Bucky whistled out another sigh.

“I think about how easily it could have been me, hurting you like that, like I did before.”  


Steve pressed his mouth to Bucky’s forehead, not a kiss but contact, the kind that soothed but didn’t distract.

“You never need to worry about that, Buck,” Steve promised, “The Bridge, Pierce, that was one time. A time when you didn’t know who you or anyone else was.”

Bucky shook his head but Steve shushed him, pressing his thumb to his lips.

“One time, Buck,” Steve repeated, “And you have been perfect since.”

Bucky breathed out shakily, leaning into Steve’s neck and nodding.

“I just never want to see you hurt again,” Bucky’s voice was small and dry.

The Captain slid onto his back, pulling Bucky into the hollow of his side and cradling him warmly.

“Stevie, mind your damn shoulder!” Bucky protested with no avail.

“Shush your damn mouth,” Steve mumbled jokingly, kissing the top of Bucky’s head.

Bucky smiled, ease and calming replacing the worry in his stomach.

Safe. It felt good.


End file.
